A Conversation with White House Assistant Chef Sam Kass

The senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives speaks about his mission to make America's kids healthierby Tanya Steel

W e here at Epicurious think there are few people as important in the food world as Sam Kass, assistant chef and senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives at the White House. Working in close collaboration with First Lady Michelle Obama, Kass has helped lead the charge to address our health as a nation, specifically as it relates to children—a third of whom are overweight or obese. In early 2010, the First Lady launched Let's Move!, a comprehensive initiative tasking all of us to eat better, exercise more, and help children in our community take positive steps toward good health. Epicurious caught up with Kass recently to hear how Let's Move! has grown in its first year.

Epicurious: Why is healthy eating and increased exercise so important to the future of our country? Sam Kass: Today, one in three children is overweight or obese. Many of these children will face chronic obesity-related health problems, like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. Nearly one third is projected to have diabetes in their lifetime. This impacts their ability to perform, and how they feel about themselves. If we want to win the future, we must ensure that the youngest generation grows up healthy and can thrive in the years ahead.

We owe it to our children to provide them with better food options and opportunities for increased physical activity. We cannot ignore this problem, and that's why the Let's Move! initiative is committed to solving the problem of childhood obesity in a generation, so kids born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams.

Epi: Now that Let's Move! is one year old, how would you characterize its progress? Are you pleased with the accomplishments so far? SK: I continue to be amazed by the outpouring of support we've received over the last year. All across the country, mayors, chefs, schools, community groups, and more have stepped up to solve the problem of childhood obesity. Together, we've accomplished a great deal to provide healthier food to children, increase physical activity, share better information about health and nutrition to families, and improve access in local communities to healthy, affordable food.

One of the big highlights of the year for me was when the President signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act [in December 2010], which will improve the nutritional value of school meals and expand access to these meals for needy children. But everyone has a role to play in ending childhood obesity. Over the last year, private sector companies have responded to the demand of parents for better food choices, sports leagues have pledged to expand their youth programs, and I'm particularly proud of the number of chefs around the country who've joined Chefs Move to Schools to help engage kids about food and healthy food choices.

Epi: In the coming year, what do you hope to accomplish as senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives? Will you be pushing for more national policy changes, such as the recently passed food-safety bill, or seeking to grow grassroots movements? SK: The past year has given us hope that we can turn the tide on childhood obesity and achieve fundamental change. We will continue to work together to keep the momentum going and build on the success of the last year. There isn't a single solution to solving childhood obesity, so we will need to continue pursuing strategies at every level, in every sector, with health experts, local leaders and policy makers, schools, private companies, and community groups. We also will continue to provide communities with the tools they need to develop unique solutions at the local level.

But the short answer is, more of what you saw this year.

Epi: Healthy food advocates and chefs had long campaigned for a produce garden at the White House. How important to Let's Move! was creating the first-ever Oval Office produce garden? SK: Two years ago, the First Lady began a national conversation about childhood obesity when she broke ground on the White House Kitchen Garden with children from a local elementary school. This national conversation grew into the Let's Move! initiative. I'm tremendously proud of how the garden has engaged children and inspired communities and schools all across the country to create their very own gardens.

Over the last two years, hundreds of children have visited the White House garden. Some have helped plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and others have helped harvest the bounty. I will never grow tired of their curiosity and sense of wonderment when they see where food comes from, what a sweet potato looks like when it comes out of the ground, or what a fresh sprig of rosemary smells like. By engaging kids with food, they're more likely to try new fruits and vegetables, and that's a big step forward in helping kids eat healthier food.

Epi: What do you think of the USDA's new dietary guidelines? SK: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a helpful source of information about making food choices that can help promote good health, lead to a healthy weight, and prevent disease. The Dietary Guidelines form the basis of federal nutrition policy, education, outreach, and food assistance programs used by consumers, industry, nutrition educators, and health professionals.

Epi: It's been reported that you ate junk food as a kid. When did you start eating healthier? In college? While cooking at Avec, in Chicago? SK: My family always ate dinner as a family and had balanced meals every night. Vegetables were an absolute must with every meal. I do have to admit that I had a sweet tooth and didn't always eat so healthy. As an athlete, over time I learned that eating well was critical to my performance. So I started making small changes to how I ate. Although I eat healthy now, I still love a good burger or a great pizza.

Epi: What do you miss most about Chicago, in terms of the food? SK: D.C. has some tremendous restaurants and some extraordinarily talented chefs. I end up eating out often and admire the work these chefs do in the kitchen and in the schools that they are working with.

Chicago is one the world's greatest food towns. There are a few favorites that I miss—Avec, Valois, good Chicago pizza. I am always happy to get home and visit some old favorite restaurants.

Epi: What is the best part of your job? SK: I have a great job. I meet people from all over the nation who want to help the First Lady's efforts to bring families and communities together to give kids the support they need for a healthy future. Their excitement and dedication to America's kids motivates me every day to do my part to give children healthier food and to get them physically active. I can't pick one thing, but I love working with kids in the White House garden and answering their questions about food; I have so much fun visiting schools and seeing kids getting engaged in eating better and getting exercise. Their curiosity, excitement, and positive attitude are infectious and keep me working hard every day.

Photos (clockwise from top left): Courtesy of Eddie Gehman Kohan of ObamaFoodorama.com, the White House Organic Farm Project, Getty Images, and the White House.